


Sharing accidentally

by adella_green



Category: Colter Wall (RPF), Orville Peck - Fandom
Genre: Accidental friendship, Alternate Universe, Chronic Pain, Drinking, Drug Addiction, Gen, Morphine, Musicians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26636971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adella_green/pseuds/adella_green
Summary: Singing and speaking gave him pain.
Kudos: 1





	Sharing accidentally

Colter told Orville everything. Whiskey was definitely bad for him in that sense. 

And morphine was bad for him in all senses he could imagine. Except escaping the pain. Oh, the pain. He still sang, though, because he couldn’t just leave and abandon his life’s work.

Colter once thought that he sold his soul to the devil for his guitar skills, but it was surely for the voice. Crumbly, husky, deep - sending shivers down the spines of those men and women who heard him and understood him. It made them understand, it made them feel the songs.

***  
It was the night of yet another performance. Singing was hard but rewarding. After, Colter was sitting at the bar and slowly drawing whiskey. Getting drunk had no point then as he would take his morphine injection later anyway.

A man in a cowboy hat (and, strangely, in a fringe mask, what a poseur) sat next to Colter. He had a guitar hanging behind his back.

\- Howdy, pardner, - he said. - It was a great show. 

\- Thanks. A fellow musician, I see?

\- Yes. But now I’m just travelling, looking for song material on lonesome roads. Heard that you are playing tonight and decided to visit the establishment. I’m Orville, by the way. Orville Peck. I know your name.

Orville turned to the bartender and asked for whiskey as well. 

\- Do you have anything to share? - he asked. - Any stories, anecdotes, legends? I’m interested in anything to write my songs about. I prefer sharing my own experience mostly, but I really love listening to people.

\- Not much to tell, I believe, - Colter said and… an avalanche of words just started coming out of his mouth. He told the man everything: about his childhood, about adolescence, about all the trains he rode, about that devil idea in his head… then the illness, the doctor’s advice, damned it be for eternity. The addiction. The pain. The nightmares that wouldn’t go away without another dose. The withdrawals. The surrenders. Everything.

A half hour passed by. Orville looked genuinely concerned and compassionate. He didn’t even start his whiskey. He listened.

\- I won’t give you any advice, simply because I can’t, - he said after Colter finally stopped, catching breath and trying not to cry in front of the whole venue. - But I wish you all the best and I’m sure you will get through it. It’s just the impression you make.

A handsome young man came close to the counter. He and Orville made eye contact and stared at each other for a bit, then Orville said, smiling:

\- Here you are, darling, - and he put his hand on the man’s shoulder, then turned to Colter. - It’s time for me to go. I’m glad you shared. I hope it will help.

They went away and left Colter staring into space. He did feel better, although didn’t hold out hope. Finally, he drank the rest of his whiskey in one shot and went to his room. He decided to try again and miss the injection.

**Author's Note:**

> This is kind of XIX century AU, hence the morphine and not something else, but I didn't know how to translate the era to the story, so there it is.  
> I really hope Colter Wall doesn't have any addictions, but looking at him struggle through singing at Original 16 Brewery Sessions gave me that idea that he could have some problems with his throat sometimes and need something to sooth the pain. Now he's fine (judging from the recent videos)! He also sings about taking drugs sometimes actually.  
> Couldn't help including Orville Peck, another favourite country singer of mine, to the fic, because I think they definitely could bond over music and become good friends.


End file.
